MSP333. Uber for Snake Oil

Matt Armitage, Founder, Kulturpop

08-Aug-25 11:00

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The brain worms might be slowing him down this week, but Matt Armitage is no stranger to parasites. This week we’re back inside the world of startups, fraud and outright scams. From the accounting magic of Enron to the gilded isles of FTX, Matt and Rich explore the threads that tie them together.

Is it greed, FOMO, a hero in a half shell (it’ll make sense once you listen)? As AI enters the mix, have we left the world of observable reality behind and traded it for the alternative facts of the snake oil sellers?

Produced by: Richard Bradbury

Presented by: Richard Bradbury

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Categories: technology, Corporates, controversies

Tags: enron, scams, financial scams, ftx, theranos, startup, fraud,

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11:00 AM

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(REPEAT) Jan Wong, Founder, Open Minds, on Malaysia’s Martech Digital Edge.

12:00 PM

Popcorn Culture

(REPEAT) We review One Battle After Another, Leonardo DiCaprio’s first collaboration with acclaimed director, Paul Thomas Anderson - and discuss your favourite of Leo's performances.

1:00 PM

Cruise Control

(REPEAT) We talk about the price war that's affecting the industry and the manufacturers that are selling their cars at discounted prices.

2:00 PM

Matt-Splained

(REPEAT) Matt and Rich debate how quickly AI has reached the threshold of deniability: the reality remix.

3:00 PM

Earth Matters

(REPEAT) A recent tiger poaching case in Johor highlights the urgent threats facing Malaysia’s national icon. We speak with Rimau founder Lara Ariffin about her organisation’s fight to protect the last Malayan tigers.

4:00 PM

Bar None

(REPEAT) We speak to a sport climbing coach and a skateboarder to learn how they train as athletes.

5:00 PM

BBC World Service

This episode of The Conversation features two filmmakers that are working on football-related movies.

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